System and method for organizing and presenting content on an electronic device

Abstract

A system and method for organizing new content on the user interface of an electronic device. Graphical representations (e.g., book or album covers or icons) representing the content that the user is most likely going to want to open next are presented on a virtual shelf on the user interface of the device. The graphical representations are preferably organized in receding order of likelihood of opening from left to right. As new items appear on the virtual shelf, older items are shifted to the right. A limited number of items (graphical representations) can be depicted at one time on the virtual shelf on the display of the device. The shelf can be scrolled left and right to view all of the items on the shelf.

1 . A method for organizing and presenting content on an electronic device comprising:
 providing a graphical user interface on a display of the electronic device;   allocating a portion of the graphical user interface for graphical representations of items of content available to a user of the electronic device;   receiving a first item of new content on the electronic device;   positioning a graphical representation of the first item of new content at a first position in the allocated portion of the graphical user interface;   receiving a second item of new content on the electronic device; and   positioning a graphical representation of the second item of new content at the first position in the allocated portion of the graphical user interface.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displacing the graphical representation of the first item of new content in the allocated portion of the graphical user interface with the graphical representation of the second item of new content.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 positioning the graphical representation of the first item of new content at a second position in the allocated portion of the graphical user interface.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprises:
 positioning each new item of content received by the electronic device at the first position in the portion of the graphical user interface.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the graphical user interface is a home screen of the electronic device, the allocating act further comprising:
 permanently allocating the portion on the home screen.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , the allocating act further comprising:
 permanently allocating the portion on a bottom of the home screen.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying the allocated portion of the graphical user interface as a virtual shelf.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the first position is the leftmost position on the virtual shelf, the method further comprising:
 shifting graphical representations of items of content to the right, as graphical representations of items of new content are positioned in the first position.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 scrolling the virtual shelf to the right or the left on the display of the electronic device in response to a command by the user.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the display of the electronic device is a touch screen, the method further comprising:
 interpreting a gesture by a user on the touch screen as a command to scroll the virtual shelf.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the content is at least one of an electronic book, a digital periodical, a digital movie, digital music, a digital audio book, a digital pictures and a software application. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the graphical representations of content are covers associated with the content. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the act of receiving the first item of new content is in response to a user of the electronic device purchasing the first item of new content. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the act of receiving the first item of new content is in response to the first item of new content being loaned to a user of the electronic device. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the act of receiving the first item of new content is in response to the first item of new content being pushed to a user of the electronic device. 
     
     
         16 . A method for organizing and presenting content on an electronic device comprising:
 providing a graphical user interface on a display of the electronic device;   allocating a portion of the graphical user interface for graphical representations of items of content available to a user of the electronic device;   determining a first item of content resident on the electronic device which a user of the device is likely to open;   positioning a graphical representation of the first item of content at a first position in the allocated portion of the graphical user interface;   determining a second item of content on the electronic device which a user of the device is likely to open; and   positioning a graphical representation of the second item of content at the first position in the allocated portion of the graphical user interface.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 displacing the graphical representation of the first item of content in the allocated portion of the graphical user interface with the graphical representation of the second item of content; and   positioning the graphical representation of the first item of content at a second position in the allocated portion of the graphical user interface.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein items of content that the user is likely to open comprise at least one of a new issue of a digital periodical to which the user subscribes, newly downloaded content, electronic books recommended or lent to the user and an item of content recently opened by the user. 
     
     
         19 . An electronic device comprising:
 a memory, the memory storing items of content and instructions for operating the electronic device;   a display; and   control circuitry operatively coupled to the memory and the display, the control circuitry operable to:   provide a graphical user interface on the display,   allocate a portion of the graphical user interface for graphical representations of items of content,   position a graphical representation of first new item of content at a first position in the allocated portion,   receive a second new item of content, and   position a graphical representation of the second new item of content at the first position in the allocated portion of the graphical user interface.   
     
     
         20 . The electronic device according to  claim 19 , further comprising:
 communications circuitry coupled to the control circuitry, the communications circuitry operable to connect to a network to enable downloading of new content.